The joint training sessions had transformed from awkward cooperation into something approaching genuine coordination over the course of two weeks. The Academy's advanced combat simulator—a massive chamber capable of generating holographic opponents with AI-driven tactical responses—had become their proving ground, where two factions learned to function as a single operational unit.
Serx stood at the simulator's control panel, his massive shield resting against his leg, making minute adjustments to the difficulty parameters while simultaneously composing yet another encrypted message to Riyan on his personal communication device. His dedication to reporting every tactical development had become something of a running joke among both factions, though no one actually tried to stop him.
